How we review garden tools, kit and accessories

We research the market thoroughly to ensure we include all the popular brands and cover a range of budgets and design. We ask companies to send samples in to us or we buy them anonymously ourselves to trial, but no company can influence our testing process. Products are always tested independently and impartially to ensure you get the best advice to help you make an informed decision.

All our testers are experienced gardeners and use the tools just as you would, in the garden in a range of conditions. We rate everything according to a strict set of criteria, awarding marks for each to produce a final score out of five.

Meet our testing panel

Oliver Parsons, Strategic Projects Editor

Oliver Parsons is a gardener and magazine journalist of 20 years’ experience. He trained as a professional horticulturalist at RHS Garden Hyde Hall in Chelmsford and has also worked for Gardening Which?, as a freelance gardener and with the gardening team at Down House in Kent. He is now Strategic Projects Editor at BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine and GardenersWorld.com, heading up our reviews desk, Apple News output and weekly newsletter.

Kay Maguire, Magazines Editor

Kay trained at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and has been writing and making films about gardening ever since. She has written for websites and magazines, including The Garden and Amateur Gardening, was Horticultural Editor on BBC Gardeners' World for five years, and has also written several books on a range of gardening topics from growing house plants to making the most of a small space. After several years as Reviews Editor, building up our reviews section into a leading resource for UK gardeners, she has now become Magazines Editor for BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine, responsible for all print output.

Harry Duncton, freelance powered tools tester

Harry Duncton has a wealth of experience, from being a language teacher to a tree surgeon, and has built this into a career writing about all things DIY and gardening. A passionate believer in self-reliance, his aim is to inspire others to give it a go themselves and not worry about making a few mistakes along the way. A regular contributor to popular DIY blogs and a recent addition to the BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine team, he loves tracking down the best new tools and writing about them.

Sue Fisher, freelance garden writer

Sue’s extensive horticultural career spans over 40 years, starting with a decade in the garden centre and nursery industry before developing into an accomplished gardening writer, designer and speaker. Sue writes regularly for BBC Gardeners' World Magazine, GardenersWorld.com, and Garden Answers magazine. She has written 10 books on subjects including container gardening, plants for small gardens and designing with colour, and she has co-authored other books with some of the biggest names in gardening.

Emma Crawforth, Horticulture Editor

Emma holds the Kew Diploma in Horticulture and has been working in horticulture for 18 years, including roles in public gardens, a plant nursery supplying plants for the RHS Chelsea Flower Show and a training college for young horticulturists. She looks after an ornamental, fruit and veg garden at home and regularly undertakes trips to see plants growing in their natural habitats. She is the author of the Kew Publications book, ‘Things to do with Plants’.

Best Buy Awards

In every review, if the products are deserving, we pick our outstanding winners.
These are awarded our coveted Best Buy sticker and whether it’s according to price, situation or user they are always voted the best by all testers and are only the products that really stand out.

All Best Buy recommendations are completely impartial and independent and are always awarded according to our strict testing criteria.

Buyer’s Guides

Our videos offer advice on what to look for and what to think about before you buy a gardening tool or piece of kit.

We explain what the tool is, how it works and explain all the different features to consider when choosing the tool that’s right for you and your garden. The films end with advice on how to use the tool correctly and how to prolong its life with the correct maintenance routine.

Product guides

Gardening and spending time outdoors is an increasingly important part of many people’s lives and we are always looking for products to help you make the most of your beloved outside space. We regularly put together product guides, from parasols and playhouses to shoes and wildlife gifts to help you choose the next accessory for your plants or plot.

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